The updated 15-inch MacBook Pro is more powerful than ever, thanks to the addition of Intel’s eighth generation six-core processors. The spec bump is particularly notable in the range-topping variant of the full-size notebook like the one we got to test — it came equipped with an Intel Core i9 processor and 32 GB of RAM.

There's Familiar Design With Meaningful Improvements

Visually, there are no differences between the latest 15-inch MacBook Pro and the outgoing model. Available in Silver or Space Gray, the Touch Bar-equipped, all-metal notebook has excellent craftsmanship and tactility. It weighs only 4 pounds, so it’s easy to carry around, too.

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The Retina display of the MacBook Pro has always been an industry benchmark, and thanks to the addition of True Tone technology, it has gotten even better in the latest iteration. The feature automatically adjusts the white balance of the screen to match the ambient light in a room.

Already available on Apple’s latest iPhone and iPad Pro models, True Tone will help reduce eye strain from using your MacBook Pro a great deal. You can disable the feature if you wish via the settings menu.

The new keyboard of the latest MacBook Pro has been improved as well. Its backlit keys are now considerably quieter, as well as less prone to letting in dust and debris than those of the outgoing model. The oversized trackpad of the notebook and the Touch ID fingerprint sensor that’s incorporated into its power button are as glorious as ever.

The notebook has a quartet of USB-C ports with USB 3.1 and Thunderbolt 3 compatibility. We highly recommend that you invest in a high-quality USB-C hub to make up for the lack of USB-A ports and a memory card reader.

Apple has equipped the latest MacBook Pro with a new T2 chip, which is in charge of the notebook’s security, including its encrypted storage and secure boot. The updated chip also allows you to call for Siri with your voice just like you would on your iPhone and iPad.

This Is the Most Powerful Laptop We've Ever Used

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We tested a top-spec 15-inch MacBook Pro with Intel Core i9 CPU, 32 GB of RAM, and 2 TB of ultra fast SSD storage. It's handily the most powerful laptop we’ve experienced to date, and it's capable of delivering eye-popping feats of processing power that'll impress even the most discerning laptop users out there.

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Compared to the previous generation of MacBook Pro, the newcomer delivers a speed bump of up to 75% during intensive tasks such as editing RAW photos, processing 4K video, and rendering 3D graphics, among others. This is an impressive performance increase, especially considering the notebook’s elegant looks.

The 15-inch MacBook Pro we tested got pretty warm when put to hard work, but this is hardly a surprise, as the eighth-generation Intel Core i9 processor generates quite a bit of heat during heavy workloads. It’s a fair trade to make for having this much power in a device so thin.

The notebook is capable of delivering up to 10 hours of web browsing or video playback between battery charges. During our testing, we achieved similar results. Naturally, if you opt to perform more demanding tasks with the full-size notebook, you can expect less screen-on time between charges. We like that you can charge the notebook via any of its four USB-C ports.

Our Verdict: It's a Dream Come True for MacBook Power Users

The latest 15-inch MacBook Pro is the most powerful laptop made by Apple to date. When equipped with an Intel Core i9 processor and 32 GB of RAM, the notebook offers a blend of power and portability that the most demanding MacBook power users have long been clamoring for.

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Pricing of Apple’s full-size laptop kicks off at $2,349 for a variant with six-core Intel Core i7 CPU and 16 GB of RAM. Opting for the monstrously powerful Core i9 configuration with 32 GB of RAM will cost you at least $3,199 — a substantial amount that can get well past $5,000 once you start upgrading the SSD storage. We highly recommend that you spec at least 1 TB of storage if you order a Core i9 variant.

Most MacBook buyers will be perfectly happy with the updated 13-inch model (now available with faster quad-core Intel processors, True Tone screen, and a quieter keyboard), or the 15-inch variant with Core i7 CPU. The select few who need task-conquering power will love what the Core i9 version has to offer.

Stefan VazharovSenior Technology EditorStefan is the senior technology editor for BestProducts.com, where he’s been covering the tech industry and testing the latest gadgets since 2015; He previously covered tech products for GSMArena.com and his work can also be found on Popular Mechanics.